Tiny11 Enables Windows 11 Usage With Only 176MB Memory

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Malik Usman

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

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With the launch of the Windows 11 operating system, Microsoft made a big change to its memory requirements. Compared to Windows 10, which can operate on a minimum of 2 GB of memory, the memory requirements of Windows 11 were increased to 4 GB.

This might not be an issue for modern systems, but users with much older hardware could not upgrade to the new operating system. However, a third-party tool called Tiny11 allows Windows 11 to run on lower-end computers.

Tiny11 is a basic version of the Windows 11 operating system that only requires a minimum of 400 MB of storage. Compared to that, a standard Windows 11 operating system requires 20 GB of internal storage.

Behold, another possible world record!
Windows 11 on just 176MB of RAM, about 23 times smaller than the official system requirements (4GB of RAM)!
The base system is a heavily trimmed down image of tiny11.
Pointless and unnecessary? Absolutely!
Impressive? You tell me. pic.twitter.com/UeC6MY6wwz

— NTDEV (@NTDEV_) July 11, 2023

Tiny11 was released in April 2023 and is based on Windows 11 Pro 22H2, producing a stripped-down version of the OS. It includes the minimum programs needed to boot into Windows 11, including the desktop, taskbar, and start menu.

In a recent development, the developer of the Tiny11 was able to strip down the operating system to just run on 176 MB of memory. As stated earlier, the standard Windows 11 need a minimum of 4 GB memory to operate.

According to the developer, this record required a trial-and-error method. The developer tested each driver and service to determine which ones were needed to boot into the operating system.

This also means that the developer took things like the disk drive interface into consideration. The Tiny11 Windows 11 operating system can be further stripped down to an even more simplified version that runs on 96 MB of memory but is limited to text only.

Malik Usman

[How-To Guides Expert]

Laiba, our tech guru at HI Digital, simplifies and crafts How-To Guides with a Google IT Support Certificate. Beyond tech, she captures the city’s aesthetics through her lens. Join her journey where tech meets creativity!

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